Bellows-actuating device for mechanical piano-players.



J. NEWMAN. BELLOWS AOTUATING DEVICE FOR MECHANICAL PIANO PLAYERS.

APPLIOATION'I'ILED MAR, 11, 1908. 907,860.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

J. NEWMAN. BELLOWS AGTUATIN G DEVICE FOR MECHANICAL PIANO PLAYERS.APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11, 1908.

907,860. Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

v A l3 INVENTOR ATTO N EY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN NEWMAN, OF SAGINAW, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO EDWARD GERMAIN, OFSAGINAW, MICHIGAN.

BELLOWS-ACTUATING DEVICE FOR MECHANICAL PIANO-PLAYERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 11, 1908.

Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

Serial No. 420,496.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN NEWMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Saginaw, in the county of Saginaw and State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bellows-ActuatingDevices for Mechanical Piano-Players; and I do here by declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

My invention relates to bellows-actuating devices for mechanical pianoplayers, and

i more particularly to that class of players contained within a pianocasing.

One object of my invention is to provide a means of this character whichis more accessible and more easily opened and closed than heretofore.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a bellows-actuatingmeans forming part of the bottom frame of a piano, which device whenclosed is effectually concealed so that one unacquainted with itspresence in the casing would not know that the piano was equipped with amechanical player.

To these and other ends, my invention consists in certain novel featuresand combinations, such as will be more fully described hereinafter andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectionalview showing my invention in closed position applied to a piano casing;Fig. 2 is a similar view showing my invention in open or operativeposition; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Fig. 2;v and Fig. 4 is aerspective detail view of the link and its brac et disassembled.

(A) indicates the piano casin (B) the bottom frame having an opening F1)therein; and (2) the bellows board on which the active bellows (3) andthe reserve bellows (4) are mounted. The active bellows (3) is providedwith a forwardly projecting arm (5).

Heretofore, the opening in the bottom frame has been closed by means ofobviously apparent sliding doors. The bellows-actuating means has beencarried on a base independent of the doors and movable in and outthrough the opening. To withdraw the bellows-actuating mechanism fromthe piano casing, it was necessary first to open the door and then reachin and pull out the bellows-actuating pedals. In replacing the.mechanism, a reverse order of procedure was necessary prefaced bydepressing and holding down the pedals as they were replaced because ofthe limited space between the bottom frame and the bellows board. In myinvention, to remove and replace the bellows-actuating pedals it issimply necessary to open and close the door, the space between thebottom frame and bellows board being no greater than heretofore.

In carrying out my invention, I hinge a door (6) to the lower edge ofthe opening (1), such door when closed lying flush with the outersurface of the bottom frame and apparently forming an integral partthereof. This door constitutes the base on which the bellows-actuatingpedals (7) (7 are mounted. The pedals are pivotally secured at one endto the inner face of the door, as at (8), the opposite free ends of thepedals being equipped with brackets (9). Links (10) (10) extend betweenand pivotally connect the brackets and the outer ends of the projectingarms (5) respectively. The pedals and the linkage connecting the pedalsto the bellows must be received in the narrow space between the bellowsboard and bottom frame. To effect this, it is necessary that the arms(5) be extended outward as far as possible, to which end, I prefer toproject the arms part-way into, but not through the opening (1) in thebottom frame. As a result 1 am able to use a short link (10) which movesaround its pivotal connection with the free end of the arm (5) in thearc of a circle. The length of the link is less than the space betweenthe bellows board and the bottom frame. (See Fig. 1). The projectingends of the arms (5) are received in recesses (14) (14) formed in thedoor (6).

The connection between the link and bracket is as follows: The bracket(9) is slotted, the walls (11) of the slot being apertured. The forwardend of each link is preferably provided with an car (12) having anoff-set aperture, the aperture being located to one sideof thelongitudinal axis of the link. This apertured ear is received in theslot in the bracket and pivotally secured to the walls thereof.

In order to retain the bracket stationary, I form a circular split boss(12 the respective sections of the boss being located on the respectiveWalls of the bracket. The boss is set into the under face of the pedaland together with the usual fastening means passing through the body ofthe bracket, holds 1 latter is in its lowered position, as shown in Alook Fig. 2, is supported by the molding. (15) of any suitable naturemay be employed to retain the door (6) in closed position, whereby thepiano is available for use, but the mechanical player is prevented frombeing used. The door may be opened to the position shown in Fig. 2 byone movement and a single movement suffices to close the door. Nomanipulation of the pedals is necessary when closing the door.

It is obvious that changes might be made in the form and arrangement ofthe several parts described without departing from the spirit and scopeof my invention.

Having thus fully disclosed my invention, what I claim as new is 1. Thecombination with a pivotally-supported pedal, of a slotted bracketsecured to the pedal, a cylindrical split boss, the sections of whichare located on each wall of the slot, the boss embedded in the pedal,and

fastening means cooperating with the boss, to maintain the bracketstationary.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with the frontwall of a piano casing, a bellows, a door hinged to and forming a partof the front wall, the door when closed adapted to lie flush with thecasing, a pedal hinged to the inner face of the door, and meansconnecting the pedal and bellows, of an offset molding carried by theouter, upper edge of the door to conceal the joint between the door andthe front wall, the molding constituting a rest for the door when openand also a finger hold whereby the door may be opened.

3. in a device of the character set forth,

the combination with a bellows, of a suitably supported pedal, a slottedbracket secured to the toe end of the pedal, a split boss, the sectionsof which are located on the respective walls of the slot, the bossembedded in the pedal, fastening means cooperating with the boss toretain the bracket stationary, an arm projecting from the bellows, and alink, one end of which is received and pivotally secured between thewalls of the slotted bracket, the opposite end of the link beingpivotally connected to the outer end of the arm.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN NEWMAN.

YVitnesses ldARLEY C. ALGER, RALPH S. YVVARFIELD.

